Field Court Chambers

This Practice Note provides local authorities with best practice guidance on accommodating children pursuant to a voluntary agreement under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989). It covers the requirements of the section 20 arrangement and the need to avoid drift and delay in making decisions about the child’s long-term care. It also discusses whether claims for damages under the Human Rights Act 1998 on the basis of a breach of article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights are sustainable.

This Practice Note explains the entitlement of family members, friends and relatives who care for the vulnerable to an assessment of their ability to provide the care required. The local authority must take the results of that assessment into account when deciding what services to provide to the vulnerable person. It describes the different services that can be provided, including respite care, domiciliary care and day centre care, and discusses the financial support available to elderly people for their care, including direct payments, welfare benefits, disability living allowance (DLA), personal independence payments (PIP), attendance allowance and carer’s allowance.